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EVERYONE AGREES what the digital These are the roots of one of the key insights
environment of the future is going to look like. about the changing media landscape,
No one knows how to take advantage of it. formulated last summer by one of New
Media Age’s columnists, Michael Bayler of
That was the conclusion I came to after The Rights Marketing Company. He argues
attending several conferences, in both the that media is splitting along the fault line of
UK and the US last year. Speaker after consumer involvement. In the old world,
speaker stood up and talked about the need brands can carry on operating as they always
to engage consumers rather than interrupt have, although with diminishing returns. In
them, to become their friends, to give them the social media space, however, the ability
control. The problem is that no matter how to communicate with potential customers
much everyone nodded their assent, the can’t be bought; it can only be earned.
number of examples of people following
up these insights with practical applications This creates a fantastic opportunity for
remains small. entrepreneurs. A big part of the reason there
are so few success stories from the emerging
But among these few examples are successes media landscape is that existing companies
like Nike+, Lego, Guardian Unlimited and weren’t set up with this new world in mind.
Adidas’s use of MySpace. These prove that the The skills and structures required to operate
theory, if not completely right, is close enough within it are totally alien to them. Start-
to deliver genuine value. People do respond ups, meanwhile, are in a position to tailor
to engagement and their closer involvement themselves to suit the emerging demands of
with brands can deliver value. Equally customers, while adopting those traditional
importantly, we’ve seen it demonstrated practices that still apply.
many times that companies can’t just play at
this stuff. If they want to engage customers, And in a constantly changing world, the
they have to do it properly. Anything less smaller you are, the easier it is to adapt.
than total authenticity will be sniffed out and
pilloried by the very consumers that brands
are hoping to engage.
MICHEAL NUTLEY
Editor-in-chief, NMA
p01_09_MMA.indd 8 5/3/08 2:19:12 pm
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